Castelo Real
Encyclopedia
Castelo Real was a Portuguese castle established in Mogador, modern Essaouira
, by the Portuguese in 1506.
, the founder of Castello da Mina, to build a castle on a small island, now called "La Petite Ile", in the Moroccan locality of Mogador. The role of the castle was to serve as a relay on their routes along the Moroccan coast, between Safi
, where the Portuguese were established since the end of the 15th century, and Agadir
, which had just been occupied in 1504. The castle could also easily receive supplies from Madeira
.
The building of the fortress was strongly opposed by local Berbers and Arabs. Other Portuguese captains commanded the castle: Francisco de Miranda
and Dom Pedro de Azevedo. On 12 May 1510, the king named Nicolau de Sousa as perpetual commander, but the castle was soon taken over by the local Berbers, and in December 1510 the castle had to be abandoned and the garrison relocated at Safi.
The castle was then occupied sporadically by the local Berbers.
The castle appears in various subsequent documents, as late as 1767 with the map of Théodore Cornut
. Soon however the fortifications of Essaouira were updated to become what they are today, and all traces of the Castelo Real have disappeared.
city and fortifications by Mohammed ben Abdallah in the 18th century.
In its place are now 18th century fortications, called the "Scala del Mar". Nothing remains of the Castelo Real, but judging from old maps, its location was at the end of the Scala del Mar.
in the south. Four of them only had a short duration: Graciosa
(1489), São João da Mamora (1515), Castelo Real of Mogador (1506-10) and Aguz
(1520-25). Two of them were to become permanent urban settlements: Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir
, founded in 1505-06), and Mazagan founded in 1514-17. The Portuguese had to abandon most of their settlements between 1541 and 1550, although they were able to keep Ceuta
, Tangier
and Mazagan.
Essaouira
Mogador redirects here, for the hamlet in Surrey see Mogador, Surrey.Essaouira is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, on the Atlantic coast. Since the 16th century, the city has also been known by its Portuguese name of Mogador or Mogadore...
, by the Portuguese in 1506.
Construction (1506)
The Portuguese king Dom Manuel ordered Diogo de AzambujaDiogo de Azambuja
Diogo de Azambuja was a Portuguese noble.He was a knight of the Order of Aviz in the service of the Infante Dom Pedro, son of the Regent Infante Peter, Duke of Coimbra. After Peter's defeat and death in the battle of Alfarrobeira , he accompanied his master into exile...
, the founder of Castello da Mina, to build a castle on a small island, now called "La Petite Ile", in the Moroccan locality of Mogador. The role of the castle was to serve as a relay on their routes along the Moroccan coast, between Safi
Safi, Morocco
Safi is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 282,227 , but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants ....
, where the Portuguese were established since the end of the 15th century, and Agadir
Agadir
Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:...
, which had just been occupied in 1504. The castle could also easily receive supplies from Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
The building of the fortress was strongly opposed by local Berbers and Arabs. Other Portuguese captains commanded the castle: Francisco de Miranda
Francisco de Miranda
Sebastián Francisco de Miranda Ravelo y Rodríguez de Espinoza , commonly known as Francisco de Miranda , was a Venezuelan revolutionary...
and Dom Pedro de Azevedo. On 12 May 1510, the king named Nicolau de Sousa as perpetual commander, but the castle was soon taken over by the local Berbers, and in December 1510 the castle had to be abandoned and the garrison relocated at Safi.
The castle was then occupied sporadically by the local Berbers.
The castle appears in various subsequent documents, as late as 1767 with the map of Théodore Cornut
Théodore Cornut
Théodore Cornut, also Cornout, was a French mathematician and military architect of the 18th century, born in Avignon, who worked for the King of Morocco....
. Soon however the fortifications of Essaouira were updated to become what they are today, and all traces of the Castelo Real have disappeared.
Destruction (18th century)
The Castelo Real was totally demolished in the 18th century, following the plans to build the EssaouiraEssaouira
Mogador redirects here, for the hamlet in Surrey see Mogador, Surrey.Essaouira is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, on the Atlantic coast. Since the 16th century, the city has also been known by its Portuguese name of Mogador or Mogadore...
city and fortifications by Mohammed ben Abdallah in the 18th century.
In its place are now 18th century fortications, called the "Scala del Mar". Nothing remains of the Castelo Real, but judging from old maps, its location was at the end of the Scala del Mar.
Other Portuguese fortresses in Morocco
Altogether, the Portuguese are documented to have seized 6 Moroccan towns, and built 6 stand-alone fortresses on the Moroccan Atlantic coast, between the river Loukos in the north and the river of SousSous
The Sous or Souss is a region in southern Morocco. Geologically, it is the alluvial basin of the Oued Sous , separated from the Sahara by the Anti-Atlas Mountains...
in the south. Four of them only had a short duration: Graciosa
Graciosa fortress
The Graciosa fortress was established on the coast of Morocco by the Portuguese in 1489. It was established on a small river island, about three leagues from the sea, at the junction of river Lucus and river el-Mekhazen , a few kilometers inland from modern Larache...
(1489), São João da Mamora (1515), Castelo Real of Mogador (1506-10) and Aguz
Souira Guedima
Souira Guedima, formerly known as Aguz, is a Moroccan town 36 km south of Safi, at the mouth of the Tensift River on the Atlantic seacoast. Guedima may also be spelt Kadima, Kdima, Qadima , or Qdima...
(1520-25). Two of them were to become permanent urban settlements: Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir
Agadir
Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:...
, founded in 1505-06), and Mazagan founded in 1514-17. The Portuguese had to abandon most of their settlements between 1541 and 1550, although they were able to keep Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
, Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
and Mazagan.